Hanging chairs, also known as hammock chairs, are commonly used for leisure and relaxation. Such chairs are typically suspended from a tree, post or other structure capable of supporting a person and generally include a cloth or fabric seating surface. Often, the seating surface is suspended from a spreader bar using, for example, ropes or cables.
Spreader bars known in the art are typically several feet long and often manufactured out of hardwoods or other rigid materials. The length of the spreader bar creates several problems for manufacturers, distributors, retailers and end-users. For example, when shipping items, it is desirable to minimize their overall size. However, the length of the spreader bar in a conventional hanging chair necessitates a large, cumbersome, package that is costly to ship. Conventional hanging chairs, likewise, require a large amount of shelf space in retail stores and are difficult for end-users to store when not in use.
What is needed is an improved hanging chair, which can meet the packaging and storage needs of manufacturers, distributors, retailers and end-users.